


Skipping a Step

by moovelope



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Domestic, F/M, Fluff, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 13:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2813063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moovelope/pseuds/moovelope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were both happy.  Rose truly was content with how her life was.  So of course the Doctor had to figure out how to make it better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skipping a Step

Building a TARDIS from scratch was apparently as difficult as reinventing the wheel in the fourth and twenty-second dimensions.  Not impossible, but apparently just as frustrating.  
  
Rose Tyler loved watching her Doctor work, fiddling with the controls, lighting his hair on fire (twice) and dashing about like the mad man he was.  She would sometimes go on missions with Torchwood for days and come back to the man still fixated on the same problem.  God love him.  
  
Her life had slowly slotted into a version of normal, albeit a normal that involved aliens and attempted time travel on a daily basis.  She and the Doctor would go on adventures around the world ( _Peru! Rose you should have seen it in its heyday, they were a bunch who knew how to party.  The blood sacrifices I could have done without, but still_ ).  They'd have simple nights in at their own flat where he tried to teach her Gallifreyan ( _Your pronunciation is atrocious, you sound like you're gargling raisins._ )( _You told me to make a gargling noise!_ )( _Yes, but think mouthwash, not raisins!_ ).  And sometimes she'd sit next to him as he worked on creating a TARDIS, just listening as he rambled while he worked ( _Why is it so hard to figure out? You had a TARDIS of your own!_ )( _I borrowed that one, I didn't make it! Do you know how to make a television from scratch ‘cause you own it?_ )

They were both happy.  Rose truly was content with how her life was.  So of course the Doctor had to figure out how to make it better.  
  
They were sitting at home, Rose debating on whether or not she could survive another day without doing the laundry and the Doctor debating on whether or not he could distract Rose from the laundry for more entertaining ideas.  
  
"I see that look in your eye.  You're planning something to keep me away from that dirty pile you've built up.  Believe me, Doctor—"  
  
"What do you think sounds better, John Smith-Tyler or just John Tyler?" the Doctor interrupted.  Rose looked at him, utterly confused. Distraction: successful.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just trying to figure out names.  I think I like John Tyler better, less of a mouthful," he smirked.  
  
"Why not Rose Smith?" she countered.  The Doctor groaned.  
  
"Ugh, no.  Why would you take a name that's not even real?  I'd much rather have yours."  
  
Rose smiled and pulled the Doctor in for a kiss.  
  
"I dunno, I quite liked the sound of Rose Smith with Mickey," she said, drawing back.  The Doctor pulled a face of epic disgust.  
  
"You're _joking_."  
  
She laughed, "I am!  But why are we discussing names when we're not even engaged?  I feel like you skipped a step somewhere."  
  
The pair were silent for a moment, then the Doctor's eyes widened.  "Oh god, Rose, I did skip a step.  My mind jumped clear over it, lord am I thick!" He jumped up from the couch, running his hands through his hair. Rose tried very hard to keep a straight face.  
  
“Alrighty then, give it a go now.”  
  
The Doctor seemed almost panicked.  "I don't even have a ring—.” He suddenly whirled around. “Wait, you've got a few on.  Let me borrow one."  
  
“It doesn't exactly work like that—.”  
  
“Shh, conventions.  You have several perfectly serviceable rings right here.”  He plucked a mother of pearl ring from her finger then proceeded to kneel in front of the couch.  
  
“No, pretty sure you're supposed to buy a new one, but go right on ahead,” Rose replied, smiling so brightly it hurt.  
  
“Rose Tyler, when I first met you I grabbed your hand and told you to run.  I couldn't have imagined that I'd be slipping a ring upon your finger so far down the road.  With this ring I promise you the longest forever I can give you.  How's that sound?”  
  
Rose smiled.   “Sounds brilliant.”

“Perfect! Here let me get this on you,” he slotted the ring back on her finger.  She snickered as he sat back on the couch.  
  
“Usually it goes on the left hand,” she said. The Doctor grabbed both of her hands, looking at all of the rings.

“You've already got one there!  Wait, I'll switch them,” the Doctor said, taking off her 'engagement ring' and switched it with the ring on her left hand.  “There, all fixed.  So, it's agreed, John Tyler?”  
  
“Not that I even call you John Smith to begin with.”  
  
“Oh, but I get to introduce myself like that!  Just imagine, hello, I'm John Tyler, husband of Rose Tyler.”  
  
“There would be a lot less people asking if your name was real,” she replied, shifting so that she could snuggle her head onto his shoulder.  
  
“See? Beneficial all around,” he grinned brightly.  She flicked him.  
  
From the couch they both heard the sound of the front door opening.  Jackie called out a quick greeting.  
  
“In the living room, mum!” Rose called back.  
  
“Oh god she'll be my mother in law.  She's gonna love that,” the Doctor whispered into Rose’s ear.  
  
Jackie peeked her head into the room. “You two haven't been lazing about all day, have you? What are you two up to, you're grinning like fools.”  
  
“Oh nothing much, was going to do some laundry, got engaged, the usual,” Rose replied.  Her mother blinked, dropped the bags that she was holding, and then rushed towards the two of them.  
  
“Oh, _finally_! Here, hugs, you too mister, come on,” she said, squealing with delight.  The Doctor faked a grimace and Rose laughed.  
  
“Finally, huh? Knew I should have asked sooner,” the Doctor said, slightly squished by Jackie's arms.  
  
“Oh, this is wonderful, wait ‘til Pete hears.  Oh, the wedding is gonna be fantastic. We could have it in the backyard— oh! Or that really fancy church that Pete and I got remarried in!  Rose I'm so excited!" she said, finally releasing the two and hurrying off, likely to start making arrangements.  The Doctor and Rose looked at each other.  
  
"Please tell me she isn't planning our wedding," the Doctor deadpanned.  
  
"How about a small ceremony, just the two of us.  Then my mother can have a whole shindig afterwards?"  
  
"Hmm, what were you thinking here? Because I'm thinking skydiving."  
  
Rose frowned. "No, not after the last time.  How about in the TARDIS mark 2?"  
  
The Doctor thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Won't we be needing one of those priests, though? He might take to the TARDIS the wrong way."  
  
Rose leaned up and kissed her Doctor. "We'll figure it out."  
  
"Hmm, yes we will."


End file.
